Deuteronomy 16:1–18

The Passover

16:1–8pp—Ex 12:14–20; Lev 23:4–8; Nu 28:16–25

16Observe the month of Aviv^u and celebrate the Passover^v of the Lord your God, because in the month of Aviv he brought you out of Egypt by night. ²Sacrifice as the Passover to the Lord your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the Lord will choose as a dwelling for his Name.^{w 3}Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction,^x because you left Egypt in haste^y—so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.^{z 4}Let no yeast be found in your possession in all your land for seven days. Do not let any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening^a of the first day remain until morning.^b

⁵You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the Lord your God gives you ⁶except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary^ac of your departure from Egypt. ⁷Roast^d it and eat it at the place the Lord your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents. ⁸For six days eat unleavened bread and on the seventh day hold an assembly^e to the Lord your God and do no work.^f

The Festival of Weeks

16:9–12pp—Lev 23:15–22; Nu 28:26–31

⁹Count off seven weeks^g from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain.^{h 10}Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. ¹¹And rejoiceⁱ before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name^j—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites^k in your towns, and the foreigners,^l the fatherless and the widows living among you.^{m 12}Remember that you were slaves in Egypt,ⁿ and follow carefully these decrees.

The Festival of Tabernacles

16:13–17pp—Lev 23:33–43; Nu 29:12–39

¹³Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor^o and your winepress.^{p 14}Be joyful^q at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. ¹⁵For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy^r will be complete.

¹⁶Three times a year all your men must appear^s before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^t the Festival of Weeks and the Festival of Tabernacles.^u No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed:^{v 17}Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.

Judges

¹⁸Appoint judges^w and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly.^x